Joe Perske On 6th District Odds: ‘People Want A Change’

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The seat in Minnesota’s 6th congressional district is completely up for grabs, with Rep. Michele Bachmann opting not to run for re-election.

While the District is heavily Republican, two years ago businessman and Democrat Jim Graves came within one percentage point of beating Bachmann.

The Republican candidate this time around is Tom Emmer, who narrowly lost the gubernatorial race to Mark Dayton four years ago.

The Democrat hoping to buck the odds in the 6th district this time is Sartell Mayor Joe Perske, who joined WCCO’s Esme Murphy this Sunday to talk about the race.

Perske said that he thinks, while the district may be heavily favored toward Republican candidates, “people want a change.”

Perkse added that he believes “people are sick of the polarizing politics that we’ve seen with Michele Bachmann, and I think we’re just going to get more of the same with Tom Emmer. … If you take a look at his past record of what he’s done in the state legislature, and you take a look at the things he’s said, (he’s) very similar in being on that right side with the Tea Party.”

Emmer currently has the edge on Perske in fundraising, but Perske said he has been pounding the pavement to get his message out. He said he’s been to more than 30 parades this year, and many of the county fairs.

Perske told Murphy that he would focus on dialogue if elected, not the divisions between Democrats and Republicans.